


Progeny

by kelleyj17



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, On The Way To A Smile: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-09
Updated: 2018-11-30
Packaged: 2019-08-21 07:41:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 16,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16572476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kelleyj17/pseuds/kelleyj17
Summary: Five years after Meteorfall, Cloud and Tifa are just two regular people, working two regular jobs. A surprise visit from child services threatens to turn their stable world upside down.





	1. Not Mine

It was an hour before the bar was set to open when the prim woman in the gray suit walked through the door to Seventh Heaven.

“Sorry, we’re not open yet,” Tifa called from behind the counter.

“I’m not here for that,” the woman said in a brisk voice.

Tifa looked up.  She was an older lady, with gray hair clipped extremely short.  The wrinkles around her mouth suggested that she spent a lot more time with her lips pursed than smiling.  She carried a worn briefcase in one hand.

Tifa dried her hands on a dishtowel and stepped around the counter.  “Oh.  Then what can I help you with?” she asked politely.

The woman pursed her lips, confirming Tifa’s suspicions.  “I need to speak to Cloud Strife.”

“Oh I’m sorry, he’s not here right now.  I can get him a message if you want, though.”

“No,” the woman said shortly.  “I need to speak to him in person.”

Tifa shrugged.  “Ok. He’ll be home in about two hours if you want to come back.”

The woman looked around the bar with distaste.  “This is a drinking establishment, is it not?”

Tifa put her hands on her hips.  Seventh Heaven was more than just a place to get drunk, but she tried not to take offense to the woman's tone. “We serve alcohol and a full menu after 5 pm," she said firmly.

The woman’s lip curled as she looked at her watch.  “Fine.  I’ll take a menu please.”

"We’re actually not open yet,” Tifa said, smiling apologetically.

“Don’t worry, dear, I won’t order until 5:00,” she said in a patronizing tone.  “Surely you won’t make a paying customer sit out in the cold for arriving half an hour early.”

Tifa raised her eyebrows.  “No, you’re welcome to wait inside until we open,” she said, pulling a menu from the counter.

“Hmph.”  The woman took the menu and settled stiffly into a booth.

Tifa shook her head and went back to getting set up for the night.  At promptly 5:00, she returned to the woman’s table.  “Welcome to Seventh Heaven!  What can I get you?” she asked, as if their whole interaction had never happened.

“I’d like a behemoth steak, medium-rare, and fries on the side,” the woman replied.

“Anything to drink?” Tifa asked.

“Water,” the woman said briskly.

Tifa smiled.  “You got it.”  The woman seemed to soften slightly.  Tifa often had that effect on people.

When she returned with her order, the woman had several manila folders pulled from her briefcase, one open in front of her.  She closed it as Tifa approached, something almost like a smile on her wrinkled face.

“Thank you dear,” she said.  “How soon until Mr. Strife arrives?”

Tifa glanced at her watch.  “About 45 minutes.  Anything else I can get you?”

“Not right now, thank you.”

The barmaid was slightly miffed by the woman’s behavior, but she shook it off.  She had other things to do.

Exactly 45 minutes later, she heard the familiar rumble of Fenrir in the parking lot.  It was still early on a Monday night, so no other customers had come in.  Tifa had already cleared her only customer's empty plate and refilled her water.

Cloud strolled through the door, covered in dust as usual, but at least no blood this time.  Thankfully, he’d left his sword in his bike.  Tifa didn’t know if the woman could handle the sight of the massive weapon, considering how much offense she seemed to take to his appearance as it was.

She stood up and straightened her suit.  “Are you Mr. Strife?”

Cloud stopped and looked in her direction.  “Uh, yeah?”

The woman pursed her lips.  “You don’t sound very certain.”

He laughed lightly and scratched his head.  “Not really used to being called that.  I’m Cloud Strife.”

He pulled off his gloves and held out his hand as the woman approached.  She shook it, but grimaced as she did so.  His hands were rough, Tifa knew; the gloves helped, but calluses were par for the course.

“Hmph.  Is that a motorcycle I heard drive up?” she asked archly.

Cloud glanced back at the door.  “Yeah, that’s my bike.”

The woman pursed her lips again.  “Is that the only vehicle you own?”

“Yeees,” he said slowly, sensing disapproval.  “Teef’s got a car though.”

“I see,” she said primly, looking over at the barmaid.  “And is ‘Teef’ your wife?”

Cloud furrowed his brow.  “No, she’s…I’m sorry, who did you say you were?”

The woman straightened and lifted her chin.  “My name is Veronica Chicke.  I’m with child services.”

Both Cloud and Tifa were instantly alert.  “Can we sit?” Tifa asked, coming from behind the bar, gesturing to the booth that still held the woman’s briefcase and papers.

“We can,” Veronica said, “but unless you’re his wife, this doesn’t concern you.”

Tifa put her hands on her hips.  “I’m his  _girlfriend_ , and if you want to talk about the kids, I need to be here.”

Veronica stopped, looking surprised.  “The two of you have children?”

Tifa tried to backtrack.  “Well, not, I mean, they’re...adopted," she said, fudging their status slightly.  "But we take care of them.”

“Really,” she said.  “Well, I suppose it’s up to Mr. Strife whether he wants you present or not.”

“She can stay,” Cloud said instantly.

“Fine,” Veronica said, sliding into her side of the booth.

Cloud nodded to Tifa and she slid into the booth ahead of him.

“I’m here to discuss the custody of your daughter, Mr. Strife.”

Cloud laughed out loud.  He didn’t mean to, but the sentence sounded so absurd.  “Uh, no, I don’t have any kids,” he said.

Veronica pursed her lips again.  “According to this, you do.”  She opened a manila folder and pulled out a birth certificate.  She slid it across the table to him.  He barely glanced at it.

“Yeah, whoever she is, you can tell her she’s wasting her time,” Cloud said irritably.  “I don’t have any money.”

But Tifa picked up the birth certificate.  “Cloud, this is from five years ago,” she said softly.  “Before anyone even knew your name.”

Cloud stood up.  “Oh come on, Tifa.  It’s a fake.  They can put whatever date they want on it.”  He put his hands on the table and leaned down over Veronica.  “Look, Ms. Chicke, you’re wasting your time.  I’m a delivery boy.  My name is all I’ve got.  So I’m sorry that you made the trip all the way out here, sorry to you and whoever this woman is, but you’re not going to get any money out of me.”

Tifa had to admire the woman’s spine.  She didn’t even flinch at the mako-intense eyes trained on her.  Cloud gave her one last hard look and then turned away, walking toward the kitchen.

“Well  _she_  is dead, Mr. Strife, and no one is looking for any money,” Veronica said harshly to his back.

Cloud stopped, but he didn’t turn around.  “Then it’s a mistake,” he growled.  “I don’t have a daughter.”  Then he walked away, disappearing into the kitchen.

But Tifa was staring at the manila folder open in front of Veronica.  There was a picture clipped to the front of a mass of papers.  “May I?” she asked shyly.

Veronica slid the folder across the table.  Tifa turned it around, looking into the eyes of a beautiful little girl.  She had white-blonde hair and the clearest sky-blue eyes she’d ever seen.  At least, the clearest she’d seen since before the mako infused Cloud’s.

Tifa’s heart was in her throat.  She had a miniature version of Cloud’s nose, even the same stubborn set of her jaw.  Her hand went to her mouth.  She raised her eyes to the woman across from her.  “Is this…for real?”

Veronica sighed.  “Quite.  Jessica Anderson died in a train wreck last week.  The birth certificate is from the official records.”

The words on the certificate blurred in front of her eyes.   _Haley Rose Anderson._   “But…but if the father isn’t present, can’t the mother just write whatever name she wants on the birth certificate?”

“Yes, she could,” Veronica said with a frown.  “But you can see why I knew who he was the moment he walked through the door,” she said, nodding to the picture.  “And we can get a blood test to confirm if you think that’s necessary.”

“Yes,” Tifa whispered.  Her whole world was spinning.  “I just…let me talk to him.  Would you mind?”

“Please do,” she said.  “I’ll wait here.”

Tifa nodded and swallowed hard, sliding out of the booth.  She found Cloud in the kitchen, standing at the counter with an open beer in front of him.  His arms were crossed over his chest, as if he’d just been waiting for her to come in.  “It’s not true, Teef.  It can’t be.”

“Cloud,” she said gently.  “Nine months before the date on that certificate, we were on the road.  We never stayed in one place for long, but…is it possible Haley was conceived…?”  It was hard for her to say.  If the picture weren't haunting enough, saying her name made her all too real.

At that time, their relationship had been uncertain.  He was so distant.  So hard to reach.  But her feelings for him were so strong already; she wouldn’t allow herself to think about what he was doing when he disappeared for hours at a time.

Cloud shook his head and walked out the back door.  Tifa chased after him.  “This isn’t going to go away, Cloud!  Just think about it!  Even once!   _Is it possible?_ ”

He stopped when he reached the garage door.  He grasped the handle, but didn’t open it.  He sighed and leaned his forehead against the door.  “I don’t know,” he said quietly.  “Back then, I was…I mean, there were a lot of one night stands, but…”

Tifa put her hand on his shoulder.  “You weren’t…careful?”

He lifted his head and let it fall against the door again.  “I don’t know.  I don’t remember.  Maybe not.  I didn’t think it was possible.  I thought the mako…”

Tifa let out a shaky breath.  “Cloud.  You need to come back and talk to this lady.  There’s something you need to see.”  She reached out and grasped his hand, tugging him gently back toward the bar. 

He followed meekly behind her, out into the bar area.  A few other customers had trickled in while they were out back, so Tifa went to tend to them, leaving Cloud to return to Veronica alone.  He slid back into the booth seat.  Veronica raised an eyebrow.  “Well?”

Cloud sighed heavily.  “It’s  _possible_ , but I’m still not convinced.  Who is she?  Where is she from?”

“Her name was Jessica Anderson.  She was living in Junon at the time.”  Veronica pulled back the file folder and flipped through a few pages.  She pulled out a paper with a photocopy of a driver’s license.  It was a photo of a young, pretty brunette. The picture was grainy, but not grainy enough for any reasonable doubt.

Cloud put one hand to his forehead and shoved the folder away.  “Yeah, ok.”

Veronica pursed her lips and took back the folder.  “Yeah, ok, what?”

“Yeah, ok, it’s possible,” Cloud said irritably.  “I remember her.”

Tifa returned to the table at that moment.  Somehow, hearing him confirm the encounter was more of a blow to her than the idea of his child.  She felt it in her gut.  On shaking legs, she lowered herself to the seat next to him. 

“So, what now?” she asked Veronica, sounding steadier than she felt.

“Now?  Well, now we discuss custody.  I want you to know, though, Haley is more than a client to me.  She is living with me while the arrangements are sorted, and I won’t have her put into an unstable environment.  I will bring her by tomorrow to meet you—“

“No,” Cloud said.  “No, not until we’re sure.  I want a test.”

Tifa’s jaw dropped.  “Cloud, are you serious?  Look at her!”

Veronica had already closed the folder.  Tifa reached out and pulled it toward them, but he put his hand down on hers, stopping it. 

“I don’t want to see it.  I want a test.”  His voice was hard.

Veronica sighed.  “Very well.  I will contact you with the details of where you need to go.”  She gathered up the folders and piled them back into her briefcase with practiced efficiency.  The warmth that had snuck in over the course of their conversation was gone again.  She was a blank slate, a consummate professional.

Tifa walked her to the door.  Cloud disappeared into the kitchen.  At the entrance, Veronica paused.  “You know, I trust you, dear.  But him…”

Tifa’s smile was strained.  “He’ll do the right thing.  Don’t worry.”

Veronica pursed her lips once more before opening the door and disappearing into the night.

* * *

 

Tifa wasn’t feeling well.  She was hot and cold and dizzy and nauseous.  Marlene had taken one look at her at breakfast and ordered her back to bed.  As a result, for the first time in years, Seventh Heaven would be closed.  If she’d had the strength to object, she would have.  The fact that she didn’t spoke volumes to her family.

She woke up late in the afternoon, soaked in sweat.  Tifa kicked off the covers, disgusted with her own smell.  It took some effort to drag herself out of bed, but she managed.  She grabbed the door handle, expecting resistance, but it swung inward easily.  It hadn’t been latched.

She slogged into the hallway, moving at a glacial pace.  Her ears perked up when she passed Cloud’s office.  She didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but she could clearly hear his voice through the door.

“Yes, Reno, I owe you one,” he said dryly.  “Don’t make me have to—“  He paused, presumably listening to someone on the phone.  “Oh shut up.  I’m sure I’ll regret it then, but believe me, you’re the last person I want—“ He was silent again for a minute.  “Yeah, whatever,” he said irritably, slamming the phone back on the receiver.

Tifa’s brain felt like mush.  She was feeling way too crappy to make sense of that conversation right now, so she slogged the rest of the way to the bathroom.  As soon as she closed the bathroom door behind her, she heard the office door open.  She trudged over to the toilet and sat on the lid.  A second later, there was a soft knock on the door.

“Teef?”  It was Cloud.

“Yeah.” she croaked.

The knob turned and Cloud came in, closing the door behind him.  “How ya feeling?”

Tifa just groaned.  It was enough of an answer.  He smiled and peeled the sweaty hair from her neck.  It was really unfair how good he looked in that moment.  His jeans hung just right on his hips, hugging his ass, and his pale blue t-shirt was just tight enough to give a hint of what lay underneath.

He kissed her sweaty head and leaned over to the bathtub.  He turned on the faucets, carefully adjusting it until he had it just right, and then dumped in a handful of her favorite bath salts.  She reached over and touched the soft spikes at the back of his head.  They were her favorite.  He looked back and smiled, then helped her to her feet.

“Arms up.”

She raised her arms over her head, and he peeled off the damp shirt.  He tossed it in the corner, and she couldn’t help wondering how he could stand the stench.  He didn’t seem to notice.  He put his hands on her hips and slid them down, pulling her pajama pants and underwear with them.  She held on to his arm to step out of them.  She really, really loved his arms, especially when he wore a shirt like that, and she was starting to wish she didn’t feel like death at that moment.

He grinned as if he could read her thoughts, and then led her over to the bathtub.  He scooped her up, which really wasn’t necessary, but incredibly sweet how carefully he lowered her into the water.  She groaned and leaned her head against the back of the tub, closing her eyes and letting the hot water encase her aching muscles.

He knelt down next to the tub and gently wiped her face with his wet hands.  “We’re gonna be ok, Tifa,” he said affectionately.

She opened her eyes.  “Easy for you to say,” she muttered.  “You don’t feel like roadkill right now.”

He chuckled, leaned over and kissed her gently.  “Do you need anything else?”

Tifa let her eyes drift closed again and shook her head.  “Mm mm.  I’m good.”

She didn’t even hear him leave.

* * *

 

The flu that had knocked her on her ass for two days was just a memory.  Tifa hadn’t heard anything about Veronica Chicke or the little girl for weeks, but they were on her mind that night as she wiped down the counter after closing.

Cloud was changing one of the taps when his cell phone rang.  He wiped a hand on his pants and unclipped it from his belt.  “Yeah.”  She could hear the murmur of a voice on the other end that sounded suspiciously like Reno.  “Excellent,” Cloud said.  “Thanks for letting me know.”

He hung up the phone and went back to the taps.  Tifa threw her rag back in the sink and leaned against the bar, facing Cloud.

“Hey, Cloud?  Did you ever hear anything else from Ms. Chicke?”

He pulled at the one stubborn tap, the reason that Tifa always had him change them.  She hated that thing.  “Who?” Cloud asked without looking up.

“Veronica Chicke.  From child services.  About Haley.”

Cloud paused for a minute, then continued working.  “Not since I got the blood test.  I’m sure we’ll find out soon.”

He finished with the tap and stood.  He put his hands on the sides of her face and tipped her head back.  He kissed her, long and slow and deep, pressing her back against the bar.  That was the last she thought about Veronica Chicke that night.

Two days later, he walked through the front door with the mail in hand, waving an envelope.  “Hey, look what came.”

She took the envelope from him and glanced up.  “The blood test?”

“Yep.”  She tapped the envelope against her hand nervously.  “Aren’t you going to open it?” he laughed.

“Me?  Um, sure.”  As she slid her finger under the flap, he came around behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder.  She hoped he couldn’t see the way her hands shook as she unfolded it.

As she scanned the first paragraph, she felt a release of the tension she didn’t realize she’d been holding.

“Negative.  See?  We’re gonna be just fine,” he murmured into her ear.

Tifa pulled away from him, turning around to look him in the eyes.  He looked smug.  "Cloud...what did you do?"

His expression turned to annoyance.  "Do?  I didn't  _do_  anything.  It's not mine.  End of story."  He plucked the paper from her hands as he walked away.


	2. Unbelievable

 

Tifa couldn’t do anything but stare as he walked away.   _ It _ ?  She shook her head.  Just a slip of the tongue, she was sure.

She didn’t want to believe that Cloud was capable of something like that.   _ Innocent until proven guilty, _ she told herself.  She’d be damned if that child wasn’t a spitting image of Cloud, but it wasn’t right to accuse him of anything.  Not until she knew for sure.

Still, although he was technically innocent as far as she was concerned, she found it hard to share a bed with him, even harder to be touched by him.  She laid there on her side, staring at the glowing digits of her alarm clock as he climbed into bed. He slid up behind her and molded his body against her back.  She let him kiss her neck. She let him kiss her shoulder. But when he slid a hand between her legs, she pushed it away.

Cloud sat up on his elbow.  “Teef? What’s wrong?”

“I’m just…not in the mood.”

Cloud laughed softly and traced his fingertips along her arm.  “Tifa, you’re  _ always _ in the mood.”

“Well, I’m not tonight,” she snapped.  His fingers stopped moving. “I just…have a headache,” she added more gently.  Her first little white lie.

“Mm,” Cloud said as he brushed her back from her temple.  “I’ll get you something.”

The bed shifted as he got up.  Tifa pushed back the guilt. She detested lying, for any reason, and she was disgusted with herself.  But if he had done what she thought he had, he was lying about something far bigger.  _ Really, Tifa?  It’s ok because his lie is bigger? _

Cloud returned with a couple small tablets and a glass of water.  Tifa gave him a small smile as she sat up and swallowed the tablets.  He got back into bed and snuggled up to her again.

Tifa couldn’t stand it.  His arm was wrapped around her waist, holding her tightly against him.  Her skin crawled every place he touched her. Within a few minutes, his breathing was slow and even and that made her even angrier.  How dare he fall asleep so easily after what he did? Did he have no conscience?

She squirmed out from under his arm and got out of bed.  He stirred and opened his eyes. “You ok?” he asked groggily.

“Yeah.  Just going to the bathroom,” she murmured.

“Mm kay,” he said, dropping his lids closed again.

_ Little white lie number 2. _

To ease the guilt of that, she actually did go to the bathroom.  She took her time in there, staring at the face in the mirror. Who was this man?  Did she know him at all? She splashed water on her face and rubbed her eyes.  _ You’re convicting him again.  He’s still innocent, remember? _

“Yeah.  I remember,” she muttered.  But she didn’t feel it.

When she finally returned to bed, he had rolled over and was on his own side.  Relieved, she slipped in between the cool sheets, but still her mind spun. It was a long time before she was able to fall asleep.

She woke up in an empty bed feeling unrested and cranky.  She rubbed her face wearily and dragged herself out of bed.  She couldn’t go on like this. She had to know for sure.

Tifa took a quick shower, braided her long wet hair, and went downstairs.  Cloud was standing at the counter with his coffee like it was any other day.

“Morning,” he said over his coffee cup.  She scowled at him. “Not any better?” he asked her.

“What?” she snapped.

He raised his eyebrows.  “Is your head still bothering you?”

“Oh.  That.”  Tifa shook her head.  “No, my head is fine.”

He picked up her mug from the dishrack and poured her coffee.  “You just look kinda tired,” he said as he handed it to her.

The clink of a spoon against a bowl at the table drew her attention.  Denzel and Marlene were sitting there, munching on cereal. For their sake, she plastered on a smile.  “Morning.”

“Morning,” they both mumbled back.

“Five minutes guys,” Cloud said.

Tifa squinted at the clock.  She had really overslept. He’d let her sleep in and gotten the kids ready himself.  She watched him as he handed them jackets and schoolbags and lunch boxes. It didn’t make sense.  He loved those kids. Why would he try so hard to cover this one up?

She was starting to doubt her memory.  What had she overheard on the phone call with Reno?  She wasn’t sure anymore. She had been sick and groggy.  What if it had absolutely nothing to do with the test results?

As soon as the kids were off to school and Cloud left on his deliveries, Tifa grabbed her keys.  This uncertainty was killing her. She needed to know for sure.

First stop: Reno.

The Turks were technically non-existent with the collapse of Shinra, but Tifa knew that most of them worked for the WRO in some capacity.  She headed down to headquarters. The glass and steel building rose above the skyline, looking down on its lesser brothers. It seemed they hadn’t learned anything from the destruction of the Shinra building.  According to Reeve, it was all about image.

She walked through the front door and straight to the secretary.  “Hello,” she said sweetly. “Is Reno in today?”

“He’s around,” she said with disinterest.

Tifa looked around her.  The building was huge. She didn’t have time to wander around the whole place.  “Any idea where he would be?”

The secretary shrugged.  “Usually in the lounge.”

“And where would the lounge be?” she prodded.  

The secretary glared at her in annoyance.  “Down that hall, third door on the right,” she said irritably.

“Thank you,” Tifa said, walking off in the direction she had pointed.  “Excuse me for making you do your  _ job _ ,” she muttered under her breath.

Reno was indeed in the lounge, which featured several cozy-looking couches angled around a large screen TV, several round tables with chairs, and a pool table.   Reno was playing pool by himself.

“Some tough competition you’ve got there, Reno,” she commented.

“I’m not worried,” he said casually. “I always beat him.”

Tifa perched on the back of one of the couches to watch him.  “So, I’ll get right to the point,” she said.

“Never known you to be any other way,” he remarked dryly as he lined up his shot.

“I want to know what you and Cloud have been talking about.”

* _ Clack _ * Reno watched the cue ball bounce around, knocking three of the balls in the pockets.  “Yeah, I’m not sure if you know this, but Cloud and I aren’t really buddies.”

“But you’ve worked together in the past,” she pointed out.

“Doesn’t mean I want to spend my free time with the guy.  He’s a little stiff for my tastes, ya know?”

Tifa sighed.  “Reno, caller ID is a thing.  I know you’ve been talking to him.”

* _ Clack _ * Another ball shot into a pocket.  “We’re talking about setting up a poker league,” he said without batting an eye.

“I thought you said you didn’t like him.”

“I don’t,” Reno said, circling the table for his next shot.  “I just wanna steal all his money.”

“I’m not an idiot, Reno. I know the kind of things you guys do.”

“You guys?”

“Yeah, whatever the former Turks are being called these days,” she said.

Reno leaned over and lined up another shot.  “I kind of prefer the term  _ gopher _ .”

“Reno!” said sternly just as he took his shot.  

He hit the cue ball off center, sending it in the wrong direction to bounce uselessly around the table.  He looked up in irritation. “You know, it’s really rude to yell at someone when they’re taking a shot. It’s distracting.”

Tifa stalked over and whipped the pool stick out of his hand.  “I’m serious, Reno. I need to know what you guys are talking about.”

Reno sighed and ran his hand through the front of his mullet.  He was so vain about that damn hair. “Look, honey,” he started.

“ _ Honey?!” _

“What I talk about with pretty boy is between him and me.  Ok? You got a problem with him, go talk to him yourself. Leave me out of it.”  He snatched the pool stick back from Tifa and walked casually around to the other side, lining up another shot.

Tifa scowled.  “Thanks for nothing, Reno.”

* _ Clack _ * “Anytime, sweetheart.”

She should have known Reno would be useless.  She had hoped there was some reasonable explanation he could give.  Why would he need to hide anything if it wasn’t under the table work?   Then again, Reno seemed to enjoy being a prick. 

Tifa probably shouldn’t have driven home when she was so angry.  As it was, she had a few choice words yelled at her through the open window.  She didn’t care. Her middle finger worked as well as anyone else’s.

She arrived back at the bar without any casualties and hung her keys on the hook.  There had to be some other way to find out what she needed to know. Reno may have been a prick, but he was very good at what he did.  If he had done what she suspected, she would never find any evidence.

What about the picture?  Memories played tricks on people over time.  Did she really look that much like Cloud? Tifa needed to see this little girl for herself.  

So she did some research.  Veronica Chicke had mentioned Junon, and Tifa found a listing for her on the third level.  She had said that Haley was staying with her until they found her a permanent home.

As a working woman, there was a good chance that Haley was sent to preschool or a babysitter during the day.  There were three preschools in Junon and a number of small daycare providers. She decided to start with the preschools.

She dialed the first number and waited patiently until a young-sounding woman answered.

“Hello,” she said.  “I’m just calling to let you know that I will be picking up Haley Anderson early today.”   _ Little white lie #3.  No wait, it’s only #2. _  Tifa cringed.  This one was necessary.  She knew from experience that you couldn’t just call and start asking questions about a child in their care.

“Ok, just one moment please.  Haley Anderson, you said? Let’s see…”  There was a long pause. “Sorry, which classroom is Haley in?”

“Um, number 2, I think?” Tifa bluffed.   _ I said that as a question.  It’s not a lie. _

“Preschool 2 or toddler 2?”

“Preschool 2,” Tifa confirmed.   _ That one was definitely a lie. _

“I’m sorry, ma’am, I can’t find Haley in any of these classroom lists.”

“Oh, gosh, you know what?  I was on the wrong line in the phone book.  I called the wrong place! I’m so sorry! I don’t know where my head is today.”   _ Technically the truth. _

“No problem, dear, it happens to all of us.  Have a good one,” the woman said kindly.

“Thanks,” Tifa said.

She hung up the phone and dialed the next one, basically repeating the same conversation.  As the waited on hold for the third preschool, she was starting to wonder if this was a waste of time.  For all she knew, Veronica could have her sister babysitting.

But number three was a winner.  “Oh, Haley?” the woman said. “That’s fine.  What time will you be picking her up?” Tifa sat up straight.

“Actually, I’m not sure.  Let me check and get back to you.”  Tifa hung up the phone before she could say anything else she would regret.   _ Can I just consider all of those conversations one big lie?  A big…white lie? I’m not hurting anyone. It’s not like Cloud’s lie.  Err…his possible lie.  _

The afternoon sun crept through the windows, and Tifa realized that she was running out of time to get ready for the dinner rush.  Scribbling down the name and address of the preschool on a scrap of paper, she shoved the phone book back under the bar. Tomorrow, she would go.

That evening, Cloud spent more time helping Tifa in the bar than usual.  He took every possible opportunity to brush against her, a teasing reminder that she’d left him hanging the night before.  The problem was, he was wearing one of those shirts again, and those jeans she loved. She wanted to stay angry, but it was getting increasingly difficult as the night wore on.  She wasn’t exactly avoiding brushing against him.

Tifa followed the last patron to the door and locked it behind him.  She turned around to intense blue eyes.

“Hi,” he said, smiling sweetly.  He linked his fingers between hers and leaned down to kiss her.  

Tifa wanted to melt into him, but something in the back of her mind made her freeze.   _ No, damn it!  I’m still angry! _

It was difficult to miss her lackluster response.  Cloud pulled back. “Tifa…are you mad at me about something?”

_ Innocent until proven guilty, remember? _

She was still indecisive, but he was standing so close.  She could feel how hard he was through his jeans and she couldn’t help it.  Her body just responded. She leaned against the door and pulled him closer.

“No.  No, I’m not mad, Cloud.”  

It was so, so good that night.  The kind of good where she lost count.  The kind of good where she forgot to be quiet because there were children in the house.  

They laid there together, sheets tangled around sweaty legs, bodies wrapped so close together that she couldn’t tell where she ended and he began.  He whispered in her ear while she played with those short little spikes.

Finally, he drifted off.  She stared at him for a long time, watching his eyes move under his lids.  She wondered what he was dreaming about.

_ Please, please let me be wrong about him. _

* * *

The next morning, she was convinced that she’d been wrong.  She knew Cloud. She  _ knew _ him.  She just needed to follow through with this last step to put her suspicions to rest.

The drive to Junon was too long to make it there and back in one day, but if she had a gold chocobo, she could make a straight line to the tiered city and be back before the kids were home from school.

That’s how she came to find herself standing in the smelly barn at the chocobo ranch, gawking at rental prices.  “Umm, excuse me,” she said politely to the man chopping greens a few stalls down. “I think there’s a typo on this price list.”

He was an old ranch hand and he definitely looked the part.  His leathery skin spoke of many hours spent out in the pasture, or maybe riding.  He glanced over at the paper in her hand. “Nope, that’s right.”

“But…it says the gold chocobo is three times as much as a regular chocobo.”

“Yuh,” he said.  “Goldies are rare.”

“I know, but…” there was no point arguing.  He already said the price was correct, and she really didn’t have any other options.  She pulled out her purse and painstakingly counted out the gil.

But once she was on the bird, the money no longer mattered.  She had forgotten how wonderful it felt to be flying over the ground on the back of a majestic animal.  The wind tugged strands of hair from her braid and blew away the stress of the last few days. She was completely at ease as the chocobo’s sure footsteps led her through the mountains and splashed her feet with water.

By the time she reached Junon, she was almost sad to have to stop.  The reason for her journey brought her back down quickly. She sighed as she dismounted the bird.

Now that she was there, she wasn’t actually sure how she was going to get a glimpse of the little girl.  There was a playground enclosed within a chain link fence. It was a beautiful day, and she assumed that they would come out to play at some point during the day.  Luckily, there was a park across the street where she could sit and watch inconspicuously. Well, not exactly inconspicuous with the giant golden bird, but she didn’t have enough gil left to board it for the day, so it was staying with her.

Shortly after noon, she saw the doors open.  A teacher held it while a dozen pairs of little feet walked in an orderly line until they reached the outside, and then burst into a wild run for the playground.

Even from across the street, she could see the wispy blonde hair that stood out among all the darker haired children.  She mounted her chocobo, planning to just slowly walk on the street in front of the fence. From that distance, it was hard to get a good look, but Haley herself solved the problem.

“It’s a birdie!” she called out from her swing.  She hopped off and ran over to the fence.

Tifa couldn’t find her voice.  It was Cloud, in miniature. She had to admit, even as a child, Cloud had been  _ pretty _ .  Her mouth was a little different, her face a little more rounded, but otherwise it could have been his 4 year old twin.

She pulled the reigns to the side, leading the bird onto the grass and up to the fence.  A couple other children had taken notice and started to wander over.

“Can I pet him?” she asked in her sweet voice.

Tifa swallowed hard.  “Yes, of course. He’s very tame.”

Haley stuck one pudgy little hand through the fence and clumsily patted the golden bird’s breast.

“Haley! Haley, come back to the playground!”  One of the teachers had taken notice and was hurrying over.  She grabbed Haley’s wrist and gently pulled her hand back through the fence.  She gave Tifa a polite smile as she led Haley back to the swings.

The same teacher was calling to the other kids who had not quite reached the fence, and Tifa suddenly realized she was causing a disruption.  She clicked her tongue and turned the bird away from the fence.

The ride home wasn’t nearly as pleasant.  Her heart was in her throat. He  _ was _ that kind of man.  She knew it now. She knew what she had to do.

She didn’t say a word as she returned the chocobo to the barn.  She drove home and stopped in the parking lot. She closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against the steering wheel.   _ So _   _n_ _ ow I know. Proven Guilty. _

Steeling herself, Tifa got out of the car.  She walked into his office and flipped on the light.  Seeing his maps, his old gloves, his books scattered across the desk almost undid her, but she was stronger than that.  She stormed to the desk and cleared it with a sweep of her arm. The sound of the objects clattering to the floor was immensely satisfying.

She dug through his closet for his old suitcase, finally unearthing it under a ratty blanket.  Most of his clothes were in their room— _ her _ room—so she carried it in there and opened it on the bed.  She pulled open the drawers and began randomly throwing clothes into the suitcase.  Not everything fit, but it was already overflowing.

She was sitting on top of the bulging suitcase, trying to get it to close, when she heard that familiar engine in the lot.  He wasn’t supposed to be back yet, but maybe it was better this way. They could do this before the kids got home.

She heard his boots clomping up the stairs.  He passed by the bedroom without even looking, continuing on to his office.  She heard his exclamation when he saw the mess in there.

“Tifa?  Tifa!” he yelled.  She said nothing, but a moment later he appeared in the bedroom door.  He looked relieved. “You’re ok.”

“Well, that’s relative,” she said bitterly.

“What?”  Cloud’s eyes tracked down and saw the suitcase underneath her.  “Tifa, what’s going on?”

She finally got the latch to close and stood up.  “You’re leaving,” she said, shoving the suitcase in his arms.

“Uh…where am I going?” he asked.

“I don’t really care.  Not my problem.” She pushed past him and went down the stairs.

Cloud set down the suitcase and followed her down.  “Tifa, talk to me. I don’t understand.”

She reached the kitchen and stopped.  “What have you been talking to Reno about, Cloud?”

“Reno?”

“Yes.  Reno. You know, red hair, callous, flamboyant, willing to do anything for money?  Ringing any bells?”

“I know who he is, Teef.  But Reno would never say—“

“Really, Cloud?” Tifa exploded.  “ _ That’s _ what you’re concerned about?  Whether Reno tattled on you?”

Cloud took a step back.  “Are you seriously angry with me?  About  _ this _ ? I—I can’t help it, Teef, I—“

“No.  No, no, no,” Tifa overrode him.  “You don’t get to play that card.  Maybe you weren’t you back then. That’s fair.  But this is about  _ right now _ .”

“Oh.” His face fell.

“Yeah,  _ oh _ ,” she repeated.

“Tifa, I was going to tell you, I just—“

“Oh my  _ gods _ , please stop talking, Cloud.  I really don’t want to have to kill you.”

He opened his mouth and closed it again.  He seemed to be choosing his words carefully. “So what happens now?”

“Now?”  Tifa propped her hands on her hips.  “Now, you leave.”

“Tifa, come on.  That’s not fair.”

“ _ Fair _ ?”  Tifa just about exploded.  How was leaving an innocent child alone in the world fair?

“Where am I supposed to go?”

“I really don’t care.  Go live in her church again.”

“It’s…not really habitable anymore…” he said hesitantly.

“Of course you know that,” she scoffed.

“Teef…my office is here…”

“Not anymore,” she clipped.

“But my stuff…” he protested.

“I’ll mail it.”

“Where are you going to mail it?” he asked.

Tifa sighed.  “Call me when you have an address.”

“Please.  Please, I get that you’re mad, but isn’t this a little drastic?  I can move back into the office. I won’t interfere if you want to move on or…“ 

Tifa swallowed hard.  “No. I can’t even stand to look at you right now.”

Cloud looked defeated.    “What are you going to tell the kids?”

“Nothing,” Tifa snorted.  “They’ll just assume you walked out again.”

Hurt flashed across his face.  “Can we please not go there again?”

“ _ We _ aren’t going anywhere.  You are leaving.” She stormed back up the stairs to grab his suitcase and hauled it back down.  “Look, you have enough clothes in here to manage for a few days. Maybe a week. Then you can get the rest of your stuff.”  She carried it to the back door, opened it, and set it outside. She looked at him expectantly.

“Tifa…”

“Goodbye, Cloud.”

He left.

* * *

Marlene and Denzel finished eating and cleared their plates.  They needed to be out of there before the bar opened in 30 minutes.  Tifa hadn’t yet figured out how she was going to tell them about Cloud.  She should’ve known she didn’t have that much time.

“How come Cloud’s not home yet?” Denzel asked.

Tifa set down the glass she’d been washing.  She took a moment to collect herself before turning to face them.  “Hey guys, let’s sit down.” She tried to give a reassuring smile, but it fell flat.

The kids looked worried as they sat back down at their dinner table.  Tifa sat in a third chair. “So, guys, actually, Cloud isn’t going to be living here anymore.”

“What?!” Marlene squawked.

“Why not?” Denzel demanded.

“Well, it’s complicated,” Tifa said.

“Is it because I used his gloves to get my ball out of the sewer drain?” Denzel asked.

“No, no, honey, it’s not…wait, you did that with his new gloves?”

The little boy's lip trembled.  “I’m really, really, sorry, Tifa.  I’ll buy him new gloves with my own money.  Just please tell him to come home.”

Tifa smiled sadly and stroked his hair.  “No, Denzel, it’s not because of  _ anything _ you did.  Or you, Marlene.  To be honest, it’s because of me.  He and I don’t…get along anymore.”

“You got alone fine yesterday,” Marlene said stonily.

Tifa looked down at her lap, praying for the right words.  “I know, sweetie, it’s…sometimes things happen between grownups and it’s really hard to explain…”  _ Yeah, those were probably not the right words. _

“Where’s he going to live?” Denzel asked quietly.  Tears were welling up in his eyes and it broke Tifa’s heart.

“I don’t know yet,” Tifa answered.  “But…we’ll go visit him at his new place when we find out, ok?”

“Promise?” he asked, blinking back his tears.

“Yeah.  Or else maybe he’ll come see you here.  He just…can’t live here.”

The children sat there in silence, looking so sad that she almost couldn’t bear it.  

* * *

_ “Hey Teef.  It’s…it’s me.  Listen, can we talk?  I’m really, really sorry I didn’t tell you, but I don’t think you’re being…I mean, we can work through this.  We can…” *sigh* “Never mind. My new address is 1331 East 23 _ _ rd _ _ Street, unit 16.” *Click* _

Tifa slowly lowered the phone.  She had been pushing on like everything was normal, because that’s what she always did.  But hearing his voice, that was hard. Even harder than finding his clothes in the laundry, or his chewed up pencils in the kitchen, or his coffee mug in the dishrack.  When she saw those things she could tell herself that he was just away on a trip, because she wasn’t ready to process that a huge piece of her life was just gone. But hearing him say he was sorry, hearing his broken voice, was twisting the shards in the wound.

_ Was I too hasty?  Maybe I should have let him explain.   _

She looked over at the pile of boxes she had packed up from his office and around the place.  It would cost a fortune to mail them all. He just lived on the other side of town. It seemed silly.  She could handle this.

She packed the boxes in her little car.  Maybe she wouldn’t have to deal with him anyway.  It was the middle of the day; he could well be out on deliveries.  She wasn’t sure if she hoped for that or not.

But when she pulled up to the address, she knew she wouldn’t be leaving the boxes there if he didn’t answer.  There were many poor neighborhoods in Edge, and Tifa had never been afraid of them, but this place just reeked of junkies and ex-cons.  “Cloud, what are you  _ doing _ here?” she wondered aloud.

Sighing, she got out of the car and grabbed a large box.  She shut the door and locked it. It would be a pain to unlock and lock the car for every box, but there was no way she was leaving it open.  

She hefted the box higher and walked up the front steps.  There was no buzzer to be let in. It looked like there may have been a lock at one time, but the door was so damaged that it would be pointless to reinstall one.  Tifa opened the door and stepped into the grimiest building she had ever seen. She was afraid to touch anything, but she did look around for a building directory. She was having a hard time believing that he would actually choose to live here.

There was no directory, but there were helpful neighbors.

A skinny, greasy man materialized from the shadows of the hallway.  “Looking for something?”

“Actually, I was looking for Cloud Strife’s place.  Do you know if he lives here?”

“I dunno.  But that box looks really heavy.  Let me help you with that.” Two greasy hands grabbed the other side of the box and tugged.

“Thanks, but I’ve got it,” Tifa said, pulling back.

“No really, I insist,” said the man, attempting to get a better grip on the box.

“Oh no you don’t,” Tifa said.  She let go of the box, dumping the full weight on the greasy man.  He stumbled backwards a few steps in surprise. He was even more surprised when he was introduced to Tifa’s fist.  The man howled and dropped the box, cupping his hands over his nose, which was now bleeding freely.

Tifa stood over the whimpering man.  “I said I’ve got it,” she said sternly.  Then she picked up the box and stepped over him, continuing down the hallway to unit 16.  She took a breath to steady herself and knocked on the door. She heard the sound of shuffling inside a moment before the door was pulled open.

She barely recognized him.  His eyes were bloodshot, his hair greasy, and he looked like he hadn’t shaved in days.  “Tifa? What are you doing here?”

“Thanks for the warm welcome.  I brought your stuff.” She shrugged.  “Cheaper than mailing it.”

Cloud’s eyes trailed down to her hands around the box.  “Your hand is bloody.”

“It was your friendly welcoming committee.”  

Cloud leaned out the door and looked down the hall.  The greasy man was shuffling off, still holding his nose and moaning.  He nodded with approval.

“So…can I come in or are you going to make me stand here holding the box all day?” she asked awkwardly.

“Oh, sorry.  I can take it,” he said, lifting it out of her hands and setting it just inside the door.

“That’s great, but there are a bunch more in the car, so you might as well let me in,” she said, trying to look past him.

He sighed and stepped back, running a hand across his face.  “Sure, come in.”

Tifa stepped over the threshold and entered a room not much bigger than his former office at Seventh Heaven.  A tiny, battered stove sat in one corner next to a rusty sink and an old fridge. A few steps from there was a worn green floral couch with the springs poking out.  Blankets and a pillow were piled at one end. The only other furniture was a crate in front of the couch, currently holding an empty pizza box. There weren’t any doors except the one she had just walked through.

“Don’t you have a bathroom?” she asked, trying hard not to cringe.

“Shared one down the hall,” he said.

“Cloud…why are you living here?”

He shrugged.  “Rent is cheap.”

She stared at him.  “You look like shit.”

Cloud looked away.  “Yeah, well.”

Tifa felt like slapping him.  “What is wrong with you? Pull yourself together, Cloud!”

His bloodshot eyes met hers.  “In one afternoon, I lost everything in the world I cared about, Tifa.  I’m not sure what there  _ is _ to pull together.”

A lump rose in her throat, but she fought it back down.  He looked so broken, all she wanted to do was fix him. But it was his own doing.  It wasn’t the kind of thing that would just go away with a ‘sorry’. She didn’t even know who he was – clearly not the person she thought.  

He cleared his throat.  “So, um, you want to hang out in here and I’ll bring in the other boxes?”

She gave him an irritated look.  “I can help.”

“I know you can handle yourself, Teef.  But the neighbors are uh…bothersome. It will be more hassle than it’s worth.”

Tifa crossed her arms.  “And they won’t hassle you?”

“I’m not a beautiful woman,” he said, touching her face for just a second.  But then he pulled his hand away and lowered his lashes, as if remembering that he didn’t have the right to do that anymore.  He took a deep breath and let it out. “There’s beer in the fridge. Don’t drink the water. I’ll be right back.”

She stared at the door for several seconds after he left, touching the place where his hand had been.  She missed that electricity she felt at his touch. And it was hard to deny that the scruff on his face was actually sexy as hell on him.  And his shirt was sleeveless, which was just not playing fair.

Tifa shook her head hard.  This was a mistake. She should have just mailed the boxes.  Well, too late now. She would just have to wait until he finished and then get out of there before she lost her resolve.  She wrapped her arms around herself and stood in the center of the room, watching him bringing in the boxes.

He dropped the last one and shut the door.  

Carefully, as if afraid he would spook her, he walked closer.  “Tifa, can we talk about this? Please?” He reached out to touch her face.  “I—I miss you.” 

She took a step closer, breathing in his familiar scent.  The heat of his body pulled her in. “I miss you too,” she whispered before she could stop herself.

His eyes pleaded with her.  “I was happy with the way things were.  I thought you were too.”

“I was, but…things change, Cloud.  And that would have been ok, too.” She took a step back, removing herself from the intoxicating closeness.  “But I can’t just forget the things I know about you now.” 

A spark of something familiar flared in his eyes.  Something of the old Cloud. “Do you think I wanted this, Teef?  I mean…I really thought you’d be ok with it. You knew what happened to me!  Did you really think there would be no consequences?”

Tifa pressed her lips together.  “Yes. I know what you went through.  And I’m sorry it happened to you. But that doesn’t give you the right to do this to that little girl.”

“ _ What _ little girl?” Cloud demanded.

“ _ Your _ little girl!  Haley!” Tifa practically screamed.

Cloud blinked at her.  He looked confused. “Tifa, you  _ saw _ the test results.  That little girl is not mine.”

Tifa seethed.  “Don’t treat me like an idiot, Cloud.  I know what you and Reno did.”

“I told you I was going to tell you about that, Teef!  It just never seemed like the right time.”

“And what did you think would happen when you told me?  What would that change?”

Cloud sighed and rubbed his face.  “I had hoped that it wouldn’t change anything.”

Tifa laughed wryly.  “Really. You thought I’d be ok with it.”

Cloud looked hurt.  “Yeah. I just thought…we could find someone else to be the father.  We could still have our family, just…” he shrugged helplessly.

She wanted to punch him.  She really did. Unfortunately, it would have hurt her hand more than him.  “Obviously, you don’t know me at all.”

He sat down on the arm of the lumpy couch, defeated.  “I guess not.”

Tifa pulled open the door, looking back only once at the threshold.  “You’re unbelievable.” She slammed the door behind her.


	3. The Shoe is on the Other Foot

** The Shoe is on the Other Foot **

Tifa couldn't sleep that night. She was furious with Cloud. She was furious with herself for still loving him, despite what he'd done. It wasn't right. She couldn't stop thinking about that little girl, with her big blue eyes and wispy blonde hair. She hoped Veronica would take good care of her. She had looked healthy and clean. Maybe it was for the best. Maybe she needed to just move on with her life. Forget Haley, forget Cloud, and focus on what she had.

Unfortunately, her keenly observant kids weren't ready to move on.

"Hey Tifa," Marlene said the next morning at breakfast. "Where did all Cloud's stuff go?"

Tifa glanced over at the bare place on the floor that, just yesterday, had been home to a pile of boxes with "Cloud" hastily scribbled on the side. She had considered writing something a little less nice on them, but luckily common sense overcame anger.

"Oh, I brought them over to him," she said.

"You went to his new place?" Marlene asked with wide eyes.

"Yeah, honey."

"Then we can go visit!" she exclaimed.

Tifa laughed. "No. No, you can't."

Denzel looked betrayed. "But Tifa, you promised," he said in a small voice.

Gaia, his face was killing her. "I know. Maybe you can meet him somewhere else. But that place is really not safe for you guys. You can't be there."

Marlene pouted. "That's what Cloud said too, but we can—"

Denzel kicked her under the table. It wasn't discreet. The sour look Marlene gave him as she rubbed her leg wasn't, either.

Tifa looked back and forth between them. "When did you talk to Cloud?" she asked, trying to keep her voice calm. Both kids looked down at the table. "You're not in trouble, guys. But you need to tell me."

Denzel was the first to look up. "Will  _he_  be in trouble if we tell you?"

Tifa tried not to fall apart. The kid was so damn sweet. He was worried about protecting Cloud from her. "No, honey. He won't be in trouble."

Denzel looked over at Marlene. She gave him an encouraging nod. "He…he calls every night since he left. After you open the bar."

"Oh?" Tifa squeaked. "And what…um, what does he talk about?"

Denzel shrugged, finally opening up more. "Mostly just asks us what we've been doing and if our homework is done. Stuff like that. Oh, and then he always tells us to—"

"Listen to Tifa," they said in unison, and then giggled.

Tifa's head spun. She didn't understand. If she was honest with herself, she had always known that he loved them. She shouldn't have been surprised, but that was what made his actions so hard to understand. Why would he deny this little girl? Because she was his? Because he didn't want to ruin what they had?

"Tifa, it's time to go," Marlene said, breaking through her reverie.

Tifa blinked and stood. "Right. Sorry." She walked over to the fridge and pulled out their lunches. She held them out, but they both just stared.

"Um, why are you giving us pickles and ketchup?" Marlene asked curiously.

Tifa looked down. She had just grabbed the first things she saw in the fridge, which were indeed a jar of pickles and a bottle of ketchup. She shook her head, trying to clear it. "Sorry guys," she said, retrieving the two small lunch bags, sitting right where she had put them half an hour earlier. "Here."

Denzel and Marlene took the bags, looked at the names written on them, and swapped with each other. Tifa was glad that she had already made the lunches, or she might have ended up sending them to school with motor oil and tinfoil for lunch.

As the kids trooped off for the bus stop, Tifa's heart hammered mercilessly. A few weeks ago, her whole view of Cloud had been shattered and replaced with a stranger. This stranger was cold and selfish, so different from the person she had known for years. Maybe it was what she needed to do in order to detach herself. It was cognitive dissonance at it's peak, a defense mechanism to let her believe that she was doing the right thing.

She thought back through his actions that night.  _I don't want to see a picture. It's not mine._  It had seemed so cold at the time. He acted like she wasn't a real person.

Maybe that was the answer. Denzel and Marlene were real to him. He could see them and touch them and love them. But this little girl, she was just an abstract concept. If he didn't make her real, he wouldn't have to deal with the guilt of what he had done. Tifa had seen this little girl, a living, breathing being with a sweet smile that melted her heart.

Tifa's hands curled into fists. If Cloud wouldn't do the right thing on his own, she would just have to force him. It had taken him some time to adjust to his role with Denzel and Marlene, but he eventually did. He would be good to Haley, too.

Before she had time for any second thoughts, Tifa found the phone number for child services in Junon. After being passed around for a few minutes, she reached Veronica Chicke.

"Hello, Ms. Chicke? I'm not sure if you remember me, but my name is Tifa Lockhart. I'm…I mean, I was—"

"I remember you, dear," Veronica said impatiently.

"Oh. Right. Well, I'm sure you've seen the paternity test results by now."

"Of course."

"But umm…Cloud would still like to meet her."  _Might as well give up and become a compulsive liar now._

Veronica sighed. "I don't think that's a good idea, Tifa. I'd rather not put Haley in that situation if nothing's going to come of it."

"I know, of course," Tifa hurriedly agreed. "We definitely don't want to hurt Haley. But I thought we could just introduce them, you know, not as her father, just as a friend or something."

"I see," Veronica said flatly. "Cloud doesn't really want to meet her, does he?"

Tifa dropped her head back.  _This is what lying gets you._  "Ok, here's the thing. I think the test results might be wrong. And I think if he met her, he'd see that, too."

"And why do you think that?"

Tifa hadn't thought this far ahead. If she told her that Cloud  _knew_  Haley was his and had the test results changed, she would never allow Haley to come. She had a hard time thinking up lies on the spot. "I…well, I'd rather not say, but I have my reasons. Please, Ms. Chicke, what harm could it cause? I know Cloud wouldn't do anything to hurt her."

Veronica was silent for a long time. Tifa was just about to check if the woman was still on the line when she spoke. "Fine. How about this Saturday?" she said briskly.

"Oh, that would be perfect!" Tifa exclaimed. "We'll be here."

"Alright, then. 9:00 sharp."

"Yes, you've got it, that's perfect," Tifa gushed.

"Tifa…" Veronica's voice held a warning. "Don't make me regret this."

Tifa swallowed back the bit of apprehension that wanted to leak into her voice. "I won't. I promise."

The next phone call was Cloud. Maybe he was still hoping to talk to her, or maybe he was taking calls from Denzel or Marlene, because he actually answered his phone. The wind whistled in her ear, which meant that he was actually outside again. Hopefully he was working. She took that as a good sign.

"Cloud, hey! So um, the kids have been asking about you, and I told them you would come over on Saturday morning to see them."

There was a pause. "Tifa, you know it's Thursday, right?"

"Yeah…?"

"I have deliveries to make on Saturday. You have to give me a little more notice."

"Oh." Crap. She hadn't thought about that. "Well can't you cancel them?"

He sighed. "Not if I want to eat this week."

"Cloud, I promised the kids it would be Saturday. They're  _really_  looking forward to it."  _Maybe sometimes lying is ok. Or maybe I should just admit that I adjust my morals to fit the situation._

"Damn it, Tifa, I wish you would've talked to me first." He sounded more exhausted than angry.

"I know. I'm sorry. It's my fault, but it's too late to change it now. Can you please do it, just this once? I'll feed you on Saturday," she pleaded.

He groaned in frustration. "I'll see what I can do, ok? That's the best I can promise."

It would have to be good enough. "Ok. The kids, they really miss you, you know?" She wasn't trying to hurt him; she just wanted to give him a little extra nudge to follow through.

His answer was soft. "I miss you guys, too."

She felt a lump rising in her throat. "I…I have to go. I'll see you Saturday." Tifa hung up the phone and buried her head in her arms on the bar. She took several deep breaths, trying to get her emotions under control. She was so sure of herself when she kicked him out. She knew it was the right thing to do. So why was this so hard?

* * *

Tifa was incredibly nervous on Saturday morning. She had started questioning herself, wondering whether this was such a good idea after all. What was this really about? Revenge? Anger? She could admit that she wanted to see him hurt. She wanted him to feel as bad as she thought he should, and that really wasn't fair. What if, by punishing Cloud, she ended up hurting Haley? Maybe she needed to remind  _herself_  that Haley was a living, breathing being, and not just a tool for revenge.

The kids were the first to hear his engine when he pulled in the lot at 8:30. They were playing in the bar area for that very reason.

"Cloud!" they yelled in unison. They both jumped up and ran outside, too impatient to wait for him to come in.

Tifa followed slowly behind them. He had been clobbered with hugs before he even got the chance to take off his goggles. She was relieved to see that he had at least showered, and a little disappointed that he had shaved. He looked much more put together than the last time she had seen him, anyway. At least that's what she thought until he took off his goggles. His eyes were shot through with red, and dark circles cast shadows on his cheeks.

"Gaia, Cloud! Did you even sleep last night?"

Cloud stowed his goggles and pinched the bridge of his nose. "No, I didn't. I drove through the night to get my deliveries done early. I just got back into town."

"Oh." She didn't know what else to say to that. She felt a little guilty for forcing that on him. Besides his ghastly eyes, he was as dusty as always after he came back from a long drive. It made her a little nervous. She wanted him to make a good impression. "I think you still have some clothes here if you want to shower or change or something," she offered.

"Who cares, Tifa! We're used to it," Marlene scolded with her hands on her hips.

"Cloud, come on, you have to see the new fort me and Marlene built! It's so cool!" Denzel was pulling Cloud's hand and Marlene was bouncing on her toes.

He smiled down at them and allowed himself to be pulled through the front doors.

Tifa sighed as she watched them go. She had far too much nervous energy to just sit and wait for the next half hour, so she decided to make his favorite breakfast. She had promised to feed him, after all.

By the time her anticipated guests arrived, the smell of blueberry muffins filled the building. This had the effect of drawing the other three down the stairs at the very moment the knock sounded at the door.

"I'll get it," Denzel called as he ran for the door. He pulled open the door and stared up at the prim older lady holding the little girl's hand.

Tifa rushed to get there behind him. "Hello, Ms. Chicke! Please come in," she said nervously, nudging Denzel to the side.

They stepped inside, and Tifa smiled down at the little girl. "You must be Haley," she said.

"Mm hmm. And you're the bird lady!" she chirped.

Tifa looked nervously over at Veronica, who was eyeing her with suspicion.

"And this is Denzel and Marlene," she said quickly, pointing at them in turn.

"Hi!" Marlene chirped. Then she looked up at Tifa. "What are they doing here? I thought this was supposed to be our day with Cloud."

Tifa flushed. "Um, well, Haley is going to spend the day with us too."

"You mean we're babysitting?" Marlene asked.

"Yeah, sure," Tifa said. "Something like that."

"Excuse me, but where exactly  _is_  Mr. Strife?" Veronica asked suspiciously.

"Oh, he's just—"

Right then, Cloud walked through the kitchen door with a blueberry muffin in hand. "Tifa, I don't think you made enough—"

He stopped when he saw Veronica in the entryway. His eyes moved down to the little girl and the color in his face drained. "Tifa? Can I…talk to you in the kitchen for a minute?"

Tifa laughed uncomfortably. "Um, can it wait? Ms. Chicke was just—"

"No. Now," he said firmly. He turned and walked back through the swinging door.

Tifa gave an awkward smile to Veronica. "Excuse us a minute." Veronica did not look amused.

As soon as Tifa made it through the kitchen door, Cloud exploded. "What the hell are you doing?!"

Tifa lifted her chin. "Well, I thought if you saw her, it would make her real—"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure she's real," Cloud sputtered. "That still doesn't make her mine."

"Are you still trying to pretend that's the truth, Cloud? I mean, look at her!"

"You know, I'm not the only man on the planet with blond hair and blue eyes," Cloud said in disbelief.

"Oh come on, Cloud. She looks  _just like you."_

Cloud pushed his hands through his hair and sighed. "Well, I have no idea where my dad is. Who knows, maybe I have half-brothers all over the place."

"Who happened to fuck this woman at the same time you did?" Tifa yelled.

"Tifa!" Cloud hissed, glancing at the swinging door.

Tifa lowered her voice. "Listen, Cloud. I tracked our journey from beginning to end. I checked the dates we were in Junon. The timelines match up. If it was someone else, it would have to be within a few days of the time we were there."

Cloud threw up his hands. "Look, I don't have an explanation. I just know that she can't be mine. Why are you still clinging to this idea? What part of 'I can't have children' do you not understand?"

Tifa started to retort, but then his words sunk in. Actually, they hit her like a ton of bricks. "W—what?"

Cloud's mouth moved, but no words came out. He scrunched his brows together. "I thought you said you talked to Reno."

Her face flushed. "Well, you know, Reno's not really…" she trailed off and looked away.

A scowl was starting to form on his face. "What exactly do you think Reno was helping me with?"

"I—I don't know, but—"

Cloud was slowly backing away from her.

"What? Cloud, where are you going?"

He was staring at her, shaking his head. "You think I asked him to manipulate the paternity test."

"Well, I mean, you seemed so calm when we got it—"

"Because I already knew what it would say!" Cloud yelled.

Tifa held her arms out to him. "I—I'm sorry, Cloud! But if it's not true, then—" she tried to put her arms around him, but he pushed her away.

"No. No, you thought…Tifa, do you really think I would do something like that?"

She was scrabbling for the sides of the hole she had dug. "I didn't at first, but then evidence was just stacking up and—" she reached for him again, and again he pushed her hand away.

"You really don't know me at all," he said with disgust. "I need to…not be here." He turned and walked out the back door.

Tifa ran after him. "Cloud, wait!" she said, grabbing desperately at his hand. "What about Haley?"

"What about her?" he growled.

"Well, she was going to spend the day with you—"

"Not my problem," he said, shaking her off.

She followed him around to the front, where he pulled out his keys and climbed on Fenrir.

"But what about Denzel and Marlene? They'll think you just left them again."

His hands were already on the handlebars, but he let his head drop. "That's pretty low, Tifa," he said softly. After a minute, he sighed and got off. "Fine. Give me your keys and I'll take the three of them to the zoo or something."

Tifa smiled hesitantly. "My car only has room for four."

"I know," he said stonily.

Tifa blinked. "O-oh. Ok. Sure. I'll just—I'll get them." She ducked her head and walked around to the back.

Cloud went back in through the front. Veronica was sitting alone at one of the tables. He glanced around. "Where did the kids go?"

"Your kids are showing Haley their fort upstairs," she said with a slight smile.

Cloud nodded and headed upstairs. Tifa came through the kitchen door with the keys in her hand. She looked over at Veronica and smiled uncomfortably. "He wants to take them to the zoo," she explained awkwardly.

"I see," she said, pressing her lips together. "I had hoped to be able to observe their interaction. I'm still not sure if this is the best idea."

"Right. I understand. You'll have a chance to do that after they return though, right?"

Veronica's sigh coincided with the sound of cheers and running footsteps.

Tifa held out the keys to Cloud as he came down the stairs behind them. He took them with barely a glance.

"We'll be back around lunch time," he said to no one in particular.

Tifa bit her lip. "Ok," she said.

She watched the four of them leave. Denzel and Marlene were each holding one of Haley's hands, and she was skipping and giggling between them. Cloud followed behind them like a sheep herder.

Tifa turned around to look at Veronica Chicke. "So, umm, you want to come back at lunch time, or…?"

The older woman raised her brows. "Actually, I'd love a cup of coffee."

"Oh. Sure," Tifa said, trying to put on a brave front. She walked back into the kitchen and tried to still her shaking hands enough to pour a cup of coffee. She set it down and took several deep breaths to calm herself. She could fix this. She hoped.

She picked up the cup and brought it in to Veronica.

"Join me, dear," Veronica said gently. "You look like you could use some company."

Tifa sighed. Actually, what she wanted was to be left alone so she could cry, but that probably wasn't the best idea right now. She sat down across from Veronica.

Veronica said nothing; she just sat back and sipped her coffee. Eventually, Tifa spoke.

"I guess, maybe there wasn't an error in the results after all."

"I know," Veronica said over her coffee cup.

Tifa looked up. "What?"

"I had them run the test again after we got the first results. The lab tech even looked at the DNA under a microscope at my request. He said it looked strange, but there was definitely no match."

Tifa let that sink in. "Then why did you agree to bring her here today?"

Veronica set down her cup and looked up at Tifa. "If you recall, I told you that Haley wasn't just another client to me. Well, neither was her mother. You remind me a lot of her, actually," she said wistfully, tilting her head to look at Tifa. "Jessica was my neighbor in Junon. I remember when you all were there. The whole town was buzzing about some stranger who had saved Priscilla on the beach."

Tifa remembered. They had found the little girl under attack by a bottomswell. After defeating the monster, they went back to find her little body lying still on the beach. She wasn't breathing. Cloud had revived her with CPR.

"Jessica was Priscilla's aunt, you see. You all stayed at her house that evening – rather, her mother's house. Priscilla's grandmother."

Tifa's eyes widened. "I remember her! She was so sweet."

Veronica smiled. "Yes, she was. She was also quite taken with your Cloud. But she was such a dreamer. She imagined that she could convince him to stay." Her smile faded. "She must have been so heartbroken when he left a few days later. He was her first, you know." She shook her head sadly. "She convinced herself that he was on some epic quest to save the planet."

She picked up her coffee and tapped her fingers thoughtfully on the cup. "She never would let go of that delusion. When she found herself pregnant a month later, I urged her to contact him, but…" she shook her head. "She refused. She said that what he was doing was too important."

Veronica sighed. "So you see, I didn't need the test to know. He was the only one who  _could_  have fathered the child."

Tifa stared at her. "Then…why didn't it show on the test?"

Veronica shrugged. "I don't know, dear. But it doesn't matter to me what was on a piece of paper. Jessica knew, and I knew. The problem lies in convincing  _him_."

Tifa finally went to get her own cup of coffee. She was glad that Veronica had stayed after all. She slid back into her seat with a question on her lips. "So…if he can't be convinced, will you adopt her yourself? I'm sure you take good care of her."

Veronica looked wistful. "If only." She looked sadly into her coffee cup. "No, I won't be around long enough. The doctor says I have less than a year left now."

Tifa's hand went to her mouth. "You-you're sick? I'm so sorry."

"No, it's alright," Veronica said, smiling bravely. "My only concern is finding the right place for Haley before I go."

Tifa fiddled with her wolf ring. It was the one Cloud had given her. She never did take it off, even though they were technically separated. "Do you think…the right place is with Cloud?" she asked hesitantly.

"Perhaps," Veronica said. "But only if he wants her. If not, she's better off with a stranger."

* * *

Cloud came back with the kids shortly after noon. He must have filled them up with sugar, because they were all loud and giggly. Tifa sent them to wash up and put lunch on the table.

It hurt that Cloud wouldn't even look at her during the meal. At least there was no awkward silence, though. Haley seemed to be a bit of a clown. She kept them all entertained throughout the meal.

When they had finished eating, she jumped up and ran over to Cloud. She put her sticky fingers on his arm. "Clow, will you read my book?"

"Um, your book?"

"Her favorite book," Veronica supplied. "It's in my purse. She brings it everywhere."

Cloud smiled. "Sure, Haley."

Haley skipped off to retrieve her book from Veronica's purse, which was still sitting in her usual booth. She brought it back to Cloud at the table.

"Let's read it upstairs, Cloud!" Marlene suggested.

"Ok, sure," he shrugged.

Three wild kids ran up the stairs, dragging Cloud along.

Veronica watched them, smiling. "He does well with them, doesn't he?"

Tifa sighed. "Yeah." She stood and collected the dishes from the table.

Veronica stood and picked up the milk and condiments and followed Tifa back into the kitchen. "You don't seem too happy about that, Tifa."

Tifa set the dishes in the sink and stared out the window. "Yeah, I just…I made a mistake and I'm not sure…"

"If it was a mistake, I'm sure he'll forgive you."

Tifa smiled sadly. "Maybe. He takes things hard sometimes."

It was only about 30 minutes later when a pair of pounding footsteps heralded the return of Marlene and Denzel.

"Hey guys," Tifa said. "Where are Cloud and Haley?"

Marlene giggled. "They're sleeping."

"Both of them?" Veronica asked.

With a start, Tifa remembered that Cloud hadn't slept the night before. Under the guise of using the bathroom, she crept up the stairs to look in on them.

Cloud was sitting in the rocking chair, his head tipped back, fast asleep. Haley was sitting on one of his legs, curled up against his chest, with her thumb securely in her mouth. She was making tiny little noises in her sleep. The book was open on the other knee. Carefully, Tifa picked up the book and set it aside. Then she tucked a blanket around Haley's little shoulders.

* * *

"Why don't you go talk to him already?" Marlene demanded.

Tifa smiled sadly down at Marlene as she tucked her into bed. It had been two weeks since their Saturday with Haley, and he still wasn't answering her calls. "I don't think he wants to talk to me, sweetie."

"So?" Marlene said. "Make him listen! Say you're sorry! I don't know why adults try to make everything so complicated all the time."

Tifa kissed her forehead. "I'll think about it, ok?"

Marlene rolled her eyes. "You've thought enough, Tifa. Just do it already!"

Tifa tucked in Denzel and looked back at them before turning off the lights. She wondered if he was still calling them. They both seemed fiercely protective of him, and it was really their secret to keep. She didn't dare ask. She flipped the switch and shut the door.

She walked downstairs to the kitchen, thinking about the things she needed to get ready for the next day. She always tried to keep busy these days. It was easier not to think that way. She opened the closet to pull out the iron and was assaulted by one of his old gloves.

He was always jumping out at her like that.

Tifa bent down and gingerly picked up the glove. She flipped it over and examined the front. It was worn in all the same places his hands were calloused – soft where his hands were hard. But she had so many memories of being touched by him, with and without his gloves, so both touches were as familiar to her as the feel of those downy spikes in his hair. She sat down on the floor and slipped it on. She touched her arm with the gloved hand. It felt so much like him. A tear slipped down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away, and that felt like him, too.

Frustrated, she pulled the glove off and threw it. The anger she had tried so hard to hold on to had burned away with that one little sentence in the kitchen, and suddenly the shoe was on the other foot. He  _was_  the person she'd always known. Unfortunately, she wasn't the person he thought he knew.

She thought back through those confrontations.  _We'd find someone else to be the father and we could still have our family…_   _You knew what happened to me! Did you really think there would be no consequences?... I hoped nothing would change..._

So this whole time, he'd thought that she was kicking him out because he couldn't give her a child? That was just ridiculous. She wanted  _him_ , not his genes.

What a stupid misunderstanding. There was no good reason for him to still be avoiding her.  _Except that you accused him abandoning his kid._

She needed to go talk to him. It was easy to avoid a phone call, but he wouldn't be able to ignore her in person. Before she could lose her nerve, she grabbed her car keys and made the drive across town.

She pulled up to his building, suddenly realizing that it may not have been the smartest idea at this time of night. She sat in the car and looked around at the dark-clothed people clustered in groups of threes and fours instead of one or two stragglers, like there were during the day. Most of them were probably too far gone to notice or care, but she pulled her gloves from her pocket and slipped them on, just in case.

* * *

A strange thumping sound was coming from behind his door. Tifa knocked, leaving behind little smudges of blood.

The sound stopped. After a moment, the door opened. He opened it only about a foot, but it was enough for her to see that he was wearing nothing but shorts, and he was glistening with sweat. She forced her eyes back up to his face.

She couldn't tell what he was thinking from his blank expression. What he said was, "Why are you wearing your gloves?"

She matched his expression. "I don't like getting your neighbors' blood on my hands."

He sighed. "Tifa…you shouldn't be here. Especially not at this time of night."

"Why not? I can…" Then she remembered the strange thumping sounds. She re-evaluated his attire. "Oh. I get it." She gave an incredulous laugh. "I should've known. Fuck you, Cloud."

She turned and walked away, but he called after her. "Tifa, wait. Don't go back out there. You can come in."

She stopped. After considering for a moment, she spun around on her heel and marched inside. Whatever she was expecting to find, it wasn't an empty apartment that looked pretty much exactly the same as the last time she'd been there. The only addition was a punching bag in the corner that looked like it had been pulled out a dumpster, held together with liberal amounts of duct tape. He hadn't even unpacked the boxes she had brought him. They sat by the door where he had dropped them.

He shut the door behind her. "You can wash my neighbors' blood off your gloves in the sink." He sat down on the arm of the lumpy couch and started unwinding the tape on his hands. "I don't know why you're here, Tifa, but since you clearly still don't trust me, I don't think this conversation is going anywhere."

Tifa watched the rust-colored blood swirl around the drain in a funnel of water. "You got a punching bag."

"Yeah. Landlord doesn't like it when I swing around a sword in here."

Tifa laughed. Cloud didn't. She shut off the water and looked over at him. "I hate this, Cloud. Please, will you talk to me?"

"Unless I misunderstood you, I don't think we have anything to talk about," he said flatly.

Tifa set her gloves on the edge of the sink. "Can you just try to think...what would you have thought? If you were in my position?"

His eyes flared. "You know, it would never have crossed my mind that you would do something like that to escape responsibility, because I  _know_ you. If you said you didn't do it, I'd  _believe_  you."

He stood up and tossed the balled-up tape in the trash. He linked his hands on top of his hand and walked over to the window. She stared at the muscles of his back as he moved. They were the ones she usually felt underneath her hands when he was moving inside of her.

Tifa brought her brain back to the conversation with an effort. "You're right. I'm so sorry, Cloud. I don't know what else to say! I made wrong assumptions and made stupid mistakes. If I could go back and change everything I would, but I can't! I can only ask for your forgiveness."

He stood staring out the window, apparently unmoved by her apology.

"You know, it would really be a lot easier to have this conversation if you would put on a damn shirt," she said jokingly.

She had hoped it would lighten the mood. She expected him to get that smirk on his face and ask if he was distracting her. But he didn't. He just blinked and said, "I'll get one."

He walked over to a plastic garbage bag in the corner and dug out a black t-shirt. He pulled it over his head before turning back around. "Better?"

_No._  "Yeah."

He sat down on the couch. "Tifa, I'm not even really mad at you anymore."

"Then why won't you talk to me? Why don't you answer your phone?"

"I guess I thought it would be easier than having this conversation." He pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes. "I've just been thinking. I know what you want, Teef, and I can't give it to you. Ever. So I just think you'd be better off without me."

Tifa felt like banging her head against the wall. She should have known. He was in one of those self-flagellating depressive cycles again, and it was so damn hard to pull him out of them. He would isolate himself and ignore everyone who tried to reach out to him until something knocked him in the head.

She walked over and sat next to him on the couch. He looked uneasy, trying to discreetly scoot away from her.  _Good,_  she thought.  _I still have that effect on him, too._  But when she reached out to touch the little spikes, he pushed her hand away.

"Don't."

Tifa dropped her hand back in her lap. She needed to get to the root of what was bothering him. "Cloud, why did you ask Reno to look into that for you?"

Cloud stared at the wall, not blinking. "I just…I hadn't been careful in the past because I didn't think it was possible. And then that woman came with that birth certificate." He sighed and looked down at his hands in his lap. "I had a dream that night. I dreamed the kid was a monster. My screwed up DNA caused all kinds of mutations and…and then I laid awake watching you, thinking about how many kids could be out there and how much this must have been hurting you. I had to know."

Tifa edged a tiny bit closer. He was so sensitive to her touch. She needed it if she was going to get through to him. "So what did Reno find out?"

Cloud stood up, walking away from her. "He did some digging. He said that no SOLDIER has ever fathered a child. The mako just mutates your cells so much and you can't ever…" he shrugged. "The amount I got was so much more than a standard SOLDIER. Reno talked to some scientist who gave me something like a .01 percent chance.

He braced his arms on top of the little oven, still unable to look at her. "It was weird. I thought I'd be relieved, because who knows what kind of messed up kid would come out of my genes. But I was actually disappointed. I never realized I even wanted that." He lapsed into silence.

Tifa didn't know what to say. She hadn't even considered how he might feel about it. He always seemed focused on here and now, getting through the next day. But he was so hard to read sometimes, especially when he closed himself off. It just didn't seem like something that he'd even think about.

Finally, he spoke again. "After you kicked me out, I decided it was a good thing I'd found out now. You're still young enough. You can find…someone else…"

He struggled with those last few words, and she knew that was her opportunity. She came up behind him and slid her hands around his waist. "I don't want someone else."

He shook her off and turned around to face her. "It doesn't matter. I've always been a loner and I always will be. You're not, Teef. You're so great with everyone. I just need to be on my own."

"You were great with Haley," she said softly.

He looked away, a sure sign that she'd found a chink in the armor he'd wrapped around himself. She took a step closer.

"Even if the test doesn't say she's yours, she still needs a home, Cloud."

Cloud laughed bitterly and gestured to the apartment around him. "Do I look like I'm in any position to adopt a kid, Tifa?"

She stepped closer again, close enough to kiss, if she thought he would let her. She reached her hand up and placed it on his chest. She felt his heart speed up. "You can move back in."

"Stop it," he said, pushing past her. "I'm too screwed up. You and Denz and Marlene deserve better than that." He walked to the window and looked out over the filthy alley below.

"Damn it, Cloud!" Tifa finally lost her cool. "Do we really need to go through this again? You—"  _My screwed up DNA…_ "Oh my gods," she said as her hand flew to her mouth. "Your DNA."

He leaned his head against the window. "Yep."

"No, Cloud, your DNA is  _mutated_."

"Yeah, Teef, we've been over this."

"Don't you know what they check in a paternity test? They look for similar DNA markers."

Cloud turned around slowly, accepting it. "Ok, fine. But if it's not possible to have a kid, you really don't need a test to know you didn't make one."

"No, Cloud. You said no SOLDIER has ever fathered a child. Maybe not, if they're only looking at DNA tests."

His eyes flickered. He was thinking through it. "But Tifa, after all these years  _you_  haven't gotten pregnant."

Tifa started laughing. Cloud wasn't amused. She laughed harder. "What's so funny?" he demanded.

"Oh, Cloud. Didn't you ever wonder about that little pill I take every morning?"

He furrowed his brow. "I thought it was a vitamin or something. I mean, I thought you  _wanted_  kids."

Tifa came closer, cornering him against the window. "Well, yeah, eventually, but not yet. We're not even…" she trailed off.  _Really not the time for that conversation._  "Please move back in." She pressed herself against him. "I miss you," she said, brushing her lips against his.

He looked pained, but this time he didn't push her away. "Tifa..." he whispered. "We shouldn't..."

She stepped back and unzipped her confining vest. It was a practicality for her. It was hard to move around and work with such large breasts; the vest held them down tightly, but she knew he liked it better when they were free and loose.

Cloud groaned. "You're killing me, Teef."

"I know," she said, an evil smirk spreading across her face as he tentatively ran a thumb over one pert nipple. She put her arms behind her and let the vest slide to the floor. It had the added effect of thrusting her chest toward him. He was breathing harder, struggling with himself, fighting against his instincts.

She was well past feeling guilty about using her body to get through to him. Sometimes words just didn't penetrate his thick skull. Sometimes she just needed to _show_ him how she felt. And sometimes it was the key to getting him to lower that protective shield around his heart.

She sidled up to him again and reached down to grasp him through his shorts. "I miss this, too," she murmured in his ear as she pulled at his earlobe with her teeth.

He finally gave in. He tangled his fingers in her long brown hair, wavy from her morning braid. He kissed her with all the pent up emotion and longing from the last month. It took her breath away. It was all of the feeling she didn't get from his voice and his face, wrapped up in the tenderness he showed her with his fingers tracing lightly over her skin, or the way he always made sure she was taken care of first.

Then he pulled away. "Tifa. Gaia knows I can't resist you, but it doesn't change-"

She put a finger to his lips. "Sex now. Talk later."

He was cool with that.

* * *

The lumpy green couch was more comfortable than it looked. Or maybe it was just that she was more comfortable with her head on his chest and one leg sprawled across him. They were wrapped in a soft, fuzzy blanket and she was surrounded by the smell of him. He was nuzzling her hair, much more open in the afterglow.

"I'm sorry," she said, tracing her fingers lightly over his muscled stomach. "I shouldn't have accused you like that. I didn't want to believe it, honestly, but I saw this little girl's face, and I just knew. There was just no way she wasn't your daughter."

Cloud sighed. "I get that, but why would you automatically think I had done something to hide it? That's what bothers me the most, you know. Out of all the possible explanations, you assumed the worst about me.  You know, in the past, when I couldn't see the good in myself, you always found it for me. You always believed there was something worth saving. And then, suddenly, it was like you could see me for the monster I always felt inside. This whole straw man I had built with your help just collapsed. I don't want you to keep me around out of some sense of obligation because you feel guilty."

Tifa sat up on her elbow. "Cloud…you don't understand. Life without you is like... something funny happens and the first thing I think of is how I can't wait to tell you about it once you get home, and then I remember that you aren't coming home. I keep expecting to see you standing in the kitchen, or listening for the sound of your bike in the lot, or looking for your toothbrush next to mine, and every time I realize you're not there, a little more color gets leeched out of the world. That's why I want you to come home. I need you. The kids need you."

He seemed to be thinking it over. "What about…the baby thing? I don't know if that can ever happen. Are you ok with that?"

She leaned down and kissed him. "There are other ways. I just want _you_ to be there."

He pulled her back down, extending the kiss, re-awakening nerves that had just settled. "Are you sure it's not just because I'm so great in bed?" he murmured.

Tifa grinned. "Maybe. Is that a problem?"

He let out a little laugh. "Not at all."

* * *

Cloud was nervous. He wiped his sweaty palms against his pants. "Are you sure this is what I'm supposed to be wearing? Am I supposed to be wearing something casual? What if she doesn't recognize me? I look different than before, right? And it's been a couple months. That's a really long time at her age. She probably won't even remember me."

Tifa smiled, rubbing the tiny bit of scruff he let grow these days. "Just relax," she said as the car pulled up. "It will be fine."

The back door opened and a little blonde bundle jumped out. "Clow!" she screamed, running toward him.

He knelt down just in time for her to throw her arms around his neck. Hesitantly, he put his arms around her little body. She felt so small and delicate. He released her and tucked wisps of hair behind her ears, overwhelmed with the urge to protect her.

Haley looked over at Denzel. "Denzy! Let's play in your fote!"

Denzel shrugged apologetically. "Oh, we took down the fort. But we can build a new one," he said.

"Ok!" she bounced over and grabbed one of his hands. "Come on Mawene! Let's make a fote!"

Tifa linked her fingers between Cloud's and squeezed his hand as they watched the three kids making plans for their newest fort.

_Things change...and that's ok, too._


End file.
